Vehicle-gear.



No. 734,707. PATENTED JULY 28, 1903. L. E.. HICKOK & C. T. MOCUE.

VEHICLE GEAR.

APPLIUATIONHLED 0012.28. 1902.

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UNTTED vSTATES Patented July 2s, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE..

LESTER E. HICKOK, OF MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CHARLES r T. MCCUE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT; SAID HICKOK ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO FRANK E. VVILCOX, OF MECHANICSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA.

`SIl?E{.UISIQAJJ.IGN forming part of `Letters Patent No. 734,707, dated July 28, 1903. Application filed October 28, 1902. Serial No. 129,082. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LESTER E. HICKOK,` residing at Mechanicsburg, county of Cumberland, State of Pennsylvania, and CHARLES 5 T. MCCUE, residing at Hartford, county of Hartford, Stateof Connecticut, citizensof" the United States, have inventedA new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Gears, of

which `the following is a specification.`

The object of our invention is the production of a single-reach gear for vehicles which shall be very simple in construction and comprised of few parts, which shall have a single spring-plate to receive the spring, and` thus l5 dispense with a head-block, which shall have various parts heretofore made separate formed integral, so as to avoid the use of numerous bolts and nuts, which shall be strong and durable, and which, withal, shall constizo tute a superior means for performing the requisite functions.

Our invention consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrateV an example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according t-o the best Inode we have so far devised for the practical application of the principle.

bearing-boss at the rear of the axle and `in-` 4o tegral therewith; 4, a circular recess in the top surface of the boss; 5, a recess in the bottom surface; 6, the spring-plate; 7, a recess in the top surface of the plate; S, a recess in the bottom surface of the plate; 9, the downl wardly-inclined ends of the plate; 10, a perforated cylindrical downwardly projecting bearing at the rear of the plate and adapted to fit the recess 4 in the axle-boss; 11,a brass washer; 12, the lower leaves of an elliptical Figure 1 is a top plan view of the gear, the

Within the recess in the under surface of the plate; 14, the upper fifth-wheel member integral with the spring-plate; 15, the reachiron integral with the upper fifth-wheel member and bearing-boss 10, of which latter it is a continuation; 16, a raised perforated projection ou the reach-iron; 17, the reach; 18, a spring-stay; 19, theperforated head of the stay; 20, a bolt passed through the springplate, spring, and head of the spring-stay; 21,.a bolt passing through the upper fifthwheel member and vreach-iron, the reach, and the shank of the spring-stay; 22, a brace; 23, the tapering head of the brace; 24 the perforated and recessed rear end of the brace, the recess receiving the lower member of the fifth-wheel; 25, a perforated leaf-spring having concavo-convex ends bearing against the under surface of the lower fifth-wheel member and constituting, with certain other parts, an antirattler; 26, bolts passing through the reach-iron, rear end of the brace, and antirattler-spring; 27, the king-bolt; 28, a nut, and 29 is a bolt which secures the spring-stay to the raised projection on the reach-iron.

The method of assembling the parts of the gear is obvious from the drawings and need not be set forth.

It will be observed that the gear as described is very simple in construction, comprised of few parts, and that it fulfils all the conditions enumerated as the object of our inven- In use the only movable parts are the axle,A

bearing-boss in the rear of the axle, and the lower member of the fifth-wheel, which latter at its rear portion moves withinthe recess at the rear end of the brace. The example illustrated shows the best mode of embodying our invention; but it should be understood that in practice modifications may be introduced without constituting substantial departures. What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. vThe combination in a vehicle-gear, of a metallic axle having a perforated bearingboss in the rear thereof, and a lower circular iifthlwheel member both'integral with said axle; a spring-plate with an integralperforated boss and single reach-iron in the rear thereof; an upper fifth-Wheel member integral with the spring-plate and reach-iron; a spring; spring-stay; lower brace; and a kingbolt and nut, said lower brace secured at its rear end to the reach-iron and confining the lower member of the fifth-Wheel.

2. The combination in a Vehicle-gear, of an integral spring-plate, bearing-boss at the rear of the plate with a cylindrical bearing, and single reach-iron; an upper fifth-Wheel member; an axle havinga perforated bearingbossvat its rear with aiseat toreceive the cylindrical bearing-boss at the rear of the plate; a

. lower fth-wheel member; a spring; asingle spring-stay, a lower brace having a head at one end engaging the axle-boss and at the other end embracing the lower fifth-wheel member and confining the same; and a spring secured to the end of the brace and bearing against the lower surface of the lower fifth- Wheel member.

3. The combination with a vehicle-gear, of an axle with an integral perforated bearingboss at the rear; upper and lower circular fifth-wheel members; a spring-plate with a perforated bearing-boss and reach-iron in the rear thereof; a lower brace with a head at one end and at its rear end a recess and bolt-holes; an an tirattlcr-spring; bolts securing the rear end of the brace to the reach-iron; and a kingbolt and nut.

In testimony whereof we affix our 4signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LESTER E. HICKOK. CHARLES T. MCCUE. Witnesses:

F. E. WILooX, H. T. DOLE. 

